1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a contact with an anti-skiving feature. More specifically, the present invention relates to a contact capable of insertion within a connector housing without substantial skiving of the connector housing.
2. Brief Description of Earlier Developments
When separating contacts from a carrier strip, a cutting tool typically creates a severed edge with a burred region. When the cut-off travels through the connector housing during insertion, the burr skives a layer of material from the retention portion of the connector housing. The skiving of the connector housing may reduce the amount of retention force imparted by the connector housing to retain the contact.
In addition, the portion of the housing skived by the burr may remain on the contact after passing through the connector housing. To remove the skived portion from the contact, the connector assembly process requires an additional step. The connector assembly could use, for example, a brushing step to remove the skived portion from the contact prior to securing a fusible element to the contact. The additional step increases manufacturing costs. Without removal, the skived portion may interfere with the proper attachment of the fusible element to the contact. Thus, the presence of the skived portion is unacceptable, especially in automated applications. Clearly, there is room for improvement in the art.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a contact that is insertable in a connector housing without skiving the housing.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a contact that does not retain a skived portion of a connector housing thereon as it is inserted into the housing.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a contact upon which a fusible element can be attached after the contact has been inserted into a connector housing without the need for a cleaning step.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a connector that can be assembled in fewer steps.
These and other objects of the present invention are achieved in one aspect of the present invention by a contact. The contact is insertable into an insulative housing of a connector and has a mating end for receiving a mating contact; a retention portion for insertion into the connector; and a mounting end opposite the mating end. The mounting end has a transition area adapted to pass through the insulative housing without substantially skiving the insulative housing.
These and other objects of the present invention are achieved in another aspect of the present invention by a carrier strip. The carrier strip includes: a sheet of material having an edge; and at least one contact. The contact has a mounting end extending from said edge and including a window; a retention portion extending from the mounting end; and a mating end extending from the retention portion.
These and other objects of the present invention are achieved in another aspect of the present invention by a connector. The connector has an insulative housing with at least one aperture therethrough; and a contact insertable within said aperture. The contact has a mating end for receiving a mating contact; a retention portion for engaging the connector; and a mounting end opposite the mating end and having a die controlled region adjacent the retention portion. The die controlled region can pass through the insulative housing of the connector without substantially skiving the insulative housing.
These and other objects of the present invention are achieved in another aspect of the present invention by a method of making a contact. The method includes the steps of: providing a sheet of material; stamping the sheet to form a carrier strip having an edge and a plurality of contacts, each having a mounting end extending from said the of the carrier strip; placing a window in the mounting ends of the contacts; and removing the contacts from said carrier strip.